The girl's guide to everything Singapore

Hi Shana! Where are you from and how did you come to find yourself in Singapore?I am American, born in Kansas City! I lived in New York for 7 years, then my husband and I (he is my childhood sweetheart, been together 14 years!) moved to Hong Kong for 5 years, and now Singapore where I’ve lived for a little over 2 years.

We heard through the grapevine that you work in the fabulous fashion industry. How did you start working in biz?I think my first job in fashion was at Nordstrom. I was a member of the teen fashion board! I wonder if that still exists! But more than any job – I have simply been surrounded by fashion all my life. I am the youngest of 5 girls and between my sisters, my mother, and I…. we were always always experimenting and having fun with fashion.

Everyone in my family, from my aunts and uncles to grandparents, everyone was interested in their own way. My husband and his family are also very stylish people. I worked so many internships and retail jobs it would be hard to count! Going to FIT in New York definitely gave my love of fashion more of a purpose because I started to understand how to make a career out of it.

How did you enjoy your time with Pedder Group in Hong Kong?I absolutely loved working with Pedder Group. Pedder Group consists of On Pedder, Lane Crawford, Christian Louboutin, Stuart Weitzman, and Pedder Red so it was really interesting working with all those accounts and traveling around Asia Pacific getting to know the different markets and customer buying habits. It was magical going on all the buying trips and being a part of the Pedder Group team.

And to my husband’s dismay, my shoe and handbag collection grew exponentially! Pedder Group is without a doubt one of the key influencers in the luxury fashion world on an international level and I loved being a part of this team.

How would you describe your sense of style, and what kind of pieces do you consider staples in your wardrobe?I would actually describe my style as sporty, sexy, with a bit of street. My staples are my Rick Owens racer back tank tops, American Apparel bodysuits, Dsquared2 baggy jeans, and Vince leather pants. Oh! And my Céline blazers. I love, love, love the cut of a Céline blazer.

How did you get into teaching zumba?I’ve always been in fitness as I am an athlete. I played every sport growing up. I decided to veer into fitness (I’m also becoming a spin instructor) because I just love knowing that I can be responsible for making people feel awesome. I am a super positive person and love having fun and want to share my energy with others. Also my sister owns four Pilates studios in Boston and she inspires me the most!

What are your favourite beauty products and do you have beauty secrets you want to spill?I am always on an airplane, so I swear by paper masks. My favourite is from the brand Karuna. I buy them from Joyce in Hong Kong. I also love Egyptian Magic Cream, YSL baby doll mascara (only sold in USA), and anything by Dr. Dennis Gross. I could seriously get a massage every single day!

What are your favourite items in your wardrobe?Oh my gosh this is a difficult question. My husband gave me a black Céline tuxedo blazer which I adore. My Vivienne Westwood wedding dress, an old Dolce & Gabbana bustier dress with the best fruit pattern, Vintage floral dresses from C.Madelines in Miami, and my Givenchy Lucrezia flower print bag. I love anything with a floral print actually.

What are your favourite places to hang out in Singapore?No one loves a house party more than me so that always tops the list. Or a pool party! I think Potato Head is a really cool, great vibe. I think the Singapore food / bar scene is starting to really change in a super awesome way so I love trying new things!

Thanks Shana! And also huge thanks to the always wonderful Gunilla of Sugarlight Photography for the gorgeous snaps!